25 March 2015

The Weeknd To Headline Lollapalooza music festival 2015

The Weeknd To Headline Lollapalooza music festival 2015

It was announced today that The Weeknd will headline this year’s Lollapalooza music festival joining the likes of Paul McCartney, Metallica and Florence + the Machine. The Grammy nominated artist will also be closing this year’s Coachella Valley Music Festival Saturday dates.

In addition to the major festival news, The Weeknd’s “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)” was officially the #1 Shazamed song in the world according to the music discovery app’s official charts having been Shazamed more than 2.3 million times. The single has been in the Top 5 on Shazam’s for over 4 weeks and claimed the top spot this week. In addition to this accomplishment, the single also recently achieved platinum status as certified by the RIAA. “Earned It” was the first song released from the chart-dominating and critically praised Fifty Shades of Grey Original Motion Picture Soundtrack—out now via Republic Records.

Since its release, “Earned It” quickly took on a life of its own and seduced millions around the globe along the way. It’s been a mainstay in the Top 5 of iTunes Overall Top Songs Chart and Spotify’s streaming chart and is now Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. With this The Weeknd grabs his second Hot 100 top 10 and first solo as "Love Me Harder," with Ariana Grande, reached No. 7 in November. The international story is also impressive with “Earned It” certified Platinum in Canada, Gold in Australia, New Zealand, Holland and Sweden and recently hitting the Top 5 on iTunes in 68 markets including 35 #1’s. In the UK it was in the Top 5 at the Official Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and it has been holding the #1 spot on the Shazam chart for six consecutive weeks.

At radio, “Earned It” is also seeing success becoming the most added track at Top 40 and Urban. The video for the single is a theatrical event in its own right having been directed by Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring the film’s lead actress Dakota Johnson. Since its release less than two months ago it has amassed nearly 40 million views.

The Weeknd is currently readying his third full-length album for release later this year under the partnership between XO and Republic Records and is set to close out the Saturday night dates of the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

The Weeknd also recently picked up two Juno Awards from his home country of Canada. He first grabbed the Award for RandB/Soul Recording of the Year for "Often", which he released last summer, and ended the night winning Artist of the Year. In addition to taking home two trophies, The Weeknd also graced the Juno stage by performing "Earned It".